I've seen reference to the "bud union" on rose bushes. Is this the ball at the bottom, just above the ground, that the canes/branches grow off of? The reference was made in context of hard pruning.

 

Yes, in warm climates the bud union is above ground. Where there are hard freezes the bud union is buried.
http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/11/l_SIP916807.jpg

Newt

 

Thanks. In that picture, where would the ground level be in relation to that bud union if not buried?

Do I "bury" it for winter or does it stay the same year-round?

I have a few around the property that were very neglected and some are above and some are below, some buried from the flooding rains washing dirt over them, some awash in stray grasses and weeds.

 

Since you are in zone 8 you don't usually have long freezes, so you can leave the bud union above the soil. With that said, the bud union should still be protected for the winter. You can mound shredded mulch around it in November and remove it when leaves start to appear. This site states:
http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/flowers/roses/winterrose.asp

"For temperate southern and coastal zones (Zones 7 and 8), freezes can be expected, although normally of short duration. Winter rose care begins after the second "killing" frost, usually around mid-November. For grafted roses, mound organic, shredded mulch around the bud union to protect it. For own-root roses, cover the base of the canes and surrounding near-surface root zone with 2 - 3 in. (5 - 8 cm) of mulch.

Dortmund's rose hips (c. M. Whitelaw)"Dead heading" and fertilization should have been discontinued prior to fall flush so that your roses could prepare themselves for winter. Permit rose hips to remain on the shrub as food for overwintering birds and color interest in an otherwise dull winter garden."

The competing grasses and weeds should be removed in the spring. You could topdress with 2" of compost.

Newt

 

It's was pretty brutal these last few months with all the rain (and my poor grading and drainage) and then all these freezing nites in December but the 40s/65s temps are coming soon!.

I've been trying to read up on the pre-Spring "to-do" stuff and figured I would try to shape up these roses and start actually trying to make something out of it all. Out of control and unruly. I read in a local landscaping website that the rose pruning should be done by mid-Feb out here so it'll be interesting with 19 of them around the place - all in various states of 'disrepair'. Between them and all the other stuff I've asked about - it'll be busy...

I'm almost starting to miss renting (haha)!